ND Connect – A Support Group for Neurodiverse Families

Free, Online, Monthly
Final Wednesdays of each month
8pm UK / 3pm US Eastern / 12 noon US Pacific
**please note that this call follows the UK time changes.  Use www.worldtimebuddy.com to find the time in your time zone.**

ND Connect is a series of free gatherings held for parents and carers in neurodiverse families around the world to connect more with Hand in Hand Parenting. 

Whether you are new to Hand in Hand Parenting and want to learn more about the approach or have been around for a while and are experienced in using the five Hand in Hand Listening Tools, you are welcome. During the session, you will have the opportunity to meet other parents and carers of neurodivergent children, ask questions to Instructors with lived experience of neurodivergence, and get Listening support in small groups.

What do we mean by neurodiverse families?  

Neurodiversity is a term that describes a range of differences in the way people’s brains work and how they learn, think, communicate, and behave. Some (but by no means all) neurodivergent individuals have diagnoses such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, OCD, anxiety, Tourette’s or Down Syndrome; these may have been present since birth or acquired later in life. As awareness of neurodiversity has grown in recent years, many parents have found themselves exploring whether they or their child might be neurodivergent. To join this group you do not need a diagnosis, or even clarity about the neurotypes within your family, just a willingness to explore how the Hand in Hand approach can be helpful in your parenting if you know (or suspect) that you have neurodivergence of some form within your family. 

Join our free Zoom support calls

One of the things we’ve noticed in our years of being involved with Hand in Hand Parenting is that it can feel hugely supportive to be around other parents with similar experiences; whether they arise from feeling like parenting is harder in our families or that we face more judgment and lack of understanding from others. It can sometimes feel isolating to be the only parent in a group whose children do not respond to life’s events in a way that is considered ‘typical’ or have upsets that do not resolve quickly. We aim to create a safe space where you can share openly about the joys and challenges of raising your incredible children and break down that isolation. 

Of course, neurodivergent children sometimes have neurodivergent parents and family members and we warmly welcome all parents and carers no matter their neurotype. We have lived experience of neurodivergence and encourage you to contact us with your access requirements. We focus on using Hand in Hand’s five Listening Tools to meet our parenting challenges and are united by a desire to:

• Build support for ourselves as parents or caregivers in neurodivergent families
• Respond to challenging behaviors with confidence and trust in our child’s goodness
• Set effective limits with warmth and respect
• Experience more joy and playfulness in parenting
• Strengthen relationships in our families
• See our children thrive

You’re welcome to ask for input or ideas on specific issues while we explore how you can put the Tools into practice and make them work for you and your individual family situation. 

Dates

All calls scheduled are on the final Wednesday of the month at 12 noon Pacific, 3pm Eastern, 8pm UK
**please note that this call follows the UK time changes.  Use www.worldtimebuddy.com to find the time in your time zone.**

• January 29, 
• February 26, 
• March 26, 
• April 30, 
• May 28, 
• June 25

Zoom calls are 90 minutes long and typically occur on the final Wednesday of every month. Simply register for any or all ND Connect Events in 2025, using this link, and we will send you the Zoom link and access information. Please join the call within 15 minutes of the start time, ideally from a private space so that you can participate fully. 

Hand in Hand provides programs for all people who are caring for children in any capacity. We occasionally offer specialized programs for people in particular caregiving roles and/or identity groups to provide support specific to their experiences. The ND Connect events are for parents/carers of neurodivergent children in any caretaking role.

Each call will be facilitated by two or more Certified Hand in Hand Instructors. Depending on which month it is, you’ll get to meet:

• Adrianne Kmet, 
• Alison Kemi, 
• Hannah Gauri Ma, 
• Kris Kohlmann, 
• Lara Zane, 
• Priya Saaral or 
• Velma Gentzsch

Sometimes, we’ll be joined by other Instructors or Instructor Candidates depending on group size. As a community, Hand in Hand Parenting has been listening to the experience of our neurodivergent Instructors and those parenting neurodivergent children to support each other and help us support you. 

Click here to register now

Got further questions? 

Read on to see our FAQs or ask them when you register on the link above.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of experience will there be among instructors leading the call?

Many of our Hand in Hand instructors have experience and understanding of various expressions of neurodivergence including autism, ADHD, PDA, dyslexia, OCD, and anxiety. It is not in our remit as Hand and Hand Parenting Instructors to give psychological or psychiatric advice, and we will not be able to advise on whether your child would benefit from assessment or diagnosis. Instead, we will support you to attune to each unique child in your family, build connection not only in cosy times or through play and laughter but also in tricky moments and help you to lift your own worries and fears so you can see situations with more clarity and understanding.

Will you teach more about autism/ADHD/PDA etc during these events?

Not directly, as this is outside of our remit as Hand in Hand Instructors. Instead, we focus on creating a foundation for understanding how your child’s emotions affect them in different ways and how to deepen the connection that you both need to navigate these years together. You will build support and discover how different ways of responding can affect your relationship and your child’s ability to engage with the world and gain confidence in themselves. Our experience has shown us that with careful attunement and nuanced use, the Hand in Hand Parenting tools work brilliantly to support neurodivergent and neurotypical children alike, as well as their parents or caregivers. 

While we won’t be teaching about different neurotypes, you are warmly encouraged to ask questions as you experiment with these tools. By taking a neuroaffirming approach, we can help you to explore ways of adapting these tools for your unique children, whatever their needs and neurotype.

Can I join the call while my child is present? 

No, this call is a time for you to focus on your own self-care and we want you to be able to talk freely and uncensored about your family. We appreciate it can be difficult to get time for ourselves as busy parents and carers. Yet, some of the content of the session will be confidential, so we need you to find a quiet space where you will not be overheard. This can be a separate room in your home, in a private office, in your car or even asking a friend or relative if you can be in a room at their home. Many parents arrange to have another parent, family member or babysitter present to allow their participation in these calls or find some way for their child to be occupied in a separate room so they will not be interrupted. 

What happens on the Zoom call?  

There will be at least two or three Hand in Hand Parenting Instructors with professional and/or lived experience of neurodivergence. We will welcome you by introducing ourselves and inviting you to do so, too. At Hand in Hand, we always begin our calls by sharing something that is going well, no matter how small, and we will take the time to do this as part of getting to know each other a little. Throughout the call, you can respond aloud (if the group size allows it and you’re comfortable with that) or in the chat. 

Next, we’ll share some ideas around connecting with our neurodivergent children based on the Hand in Hand Parenting approach. There will be time for questions, and you can submit these in advance when you click this registration link. We can’t promise to discuss all your questions during the call time but will use them as a basis for planning each session. 

We will explain and demonstrate our support tool for parents, Listening Partnerships, and offer you the opportunity to have a go. In pairs or in a small group (depending on numbers) we will listen warmly to you as you explore whatever topic you choose. It’s a great opportunity to think aloud about ideas discussed during the session and how they relate to your family. Anything shared during this time is held in the strictest confidence, and as listeners, we hold an attitude of respect and confidence in your ability to find your own solutions.

We will close the call by sharing what we appreciate or are taking away from the call. 

I am diagnosed/identify as a neurodivergent adult. Are these events a good fit for me?

We warmly welcome parents/carers of any neurotype. We have lived experience of neurodivergence ourselves and understand it can feel daunting to turn up to a Zoom call. We will endeavour to make it a safe space for all. Please contact us if you wish to discuss your access requirements or have any questions. There is no one ‘right way’ to show up in this space. Rather we invite you to come as you are. We can’t wait to meet you.

Click here to register now